It was home to Murray’s, then an outpost of the Chevy Chase restaurant Josie’s, and now the Southern mansion at 3955 Harrodsburg Road houses The Recipe at Sixty-Eight.
It’s still owned by Murray Family Restaurants, which also owns Josie’s and Merrick Inn, and the menu combines favorites from both restaurants. That includes Merrick Inn’s white Italian lasagna and moonshine-smoked pulled pork. Josie’s specialties are featured at brunch, served Wednesday through Sunday.
Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The lounge has live music Thursday through Saturday nights. Call (859) 523-6833.Openings
■ Wild Eggs, a breakfast food restaurant chain that got its start in Louisville, opened in Lexington earlier this week. The restaurant, at 3735 Palomar Center Drive, serves breakfast, brunch and lunch daily. Menu favorites include Kalamity Katie’s border Benedict, which consists of green chili Cheddar corn cakes topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, and avocado; a bananas Foster waffle topped with banana rum caramel sauce and fresh banana slices; and a grits dish of the day. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call (859) 277-0402 or go to Wildeggs.com.Closings
■ Mary Lou’s BBQ, 226 Walton Avenue, has closed its doors. Owner John Dance had told a customer a few weeks ago he was moving to Texas. Dance also owned Good Ol’ Days BBQ a few years back.Special events
■ WineStyles is hosting a release party for Planet Oregon, a pinot noir from winemaker Tony Soter of Soter Vineyards in the Willamette Valley. This is the first time it’s available in Kentucky. WineStyles will be pouring Planet Oregon by the glass 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday. WineStyles is at 2535 Nicholasville Road. Call (859) 278-9463 or go to Winestyleslex.com.New menus
■ Nick Ryan’s Saloon, 157 Jefferson Street, is jazzing up its Saturday brunch menu. The bloody Mary bar is $5 and features beef jerky, bacon and shrimp as accoutrements. Specials include local eggs from the Long farm; shrimp and grits; and pork chilaquiles with spicy tomatillo sauce. Call (859) 233-7900 or go to Nickryans.com.
■ Red State BBQ now serves chicken wings. “I had to be persuaded to add it to the menu,” owner David Carroll said. “Turns out one of my servers used to be a sous chef and so he picked up some chicken wings and brought them to the restaurant, put dry rub on them, smoked them, deep fried them, made a Buffalo sauce to go with them, and made me eat them. I’m happy to admit I was wrong. They’re one of the hottest things on our menu now.” Red State is at 4020 Georgetown Road. Call (859) 233-7898 or go to Redstatebbq.com.Specials
■ 1790 Row House Restaurant, 2117 Old Main Street in Washington, is serving chicken and dumplings and meatloaf on Saturday. Sunday specials are chicken and rice casserole and Italian meatballs. Also on the menu are quiche, sandwiches, soups, and desserts. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The restaurant is in the center of the historic village in Mason County. Call (859) 907-6093.

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About Sharon Thompson

I have been food writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader for more than 30 years. I learned to appreciate planting a garden, picking blackberries, and canning pickles while growing up in rural Clark County. I attribute my cooking skills to years of interviewing the finest chefs and home cooks in the Bluegrass. I am co-author, with the late Wayne Shumate of Paris, of Recipes from a Kentucky Blackberry Patch and Flavors of Kentucky, which is now in its second printing.